Starbucks? Not going to find one here. Dance club? You're going to need to head downtown for that.

Hands down, there is no other place in Montgomery like the Old Cloverdale area. From its brick paved roads, historic churches and local specialty shops -- the little oasis on the west side of Montgomery is undoubtably the cultural gem of the Capital City.

The eclectic mix of college students, young professionals and older retirees that reside in the area make this quaint but bustling shopping district an interesting place to people watch while perusing the combination of shops, eateries and entertainment venues.

Perhaps the most notable thing about Old Cloverdale is that it has an authentic, unique feel that has managed to remain true to its original style. Every business operation is locally owned and operated, eliminating any hint of commercialized hubbub.

The shopping and entertainment area of Old Cloverdale could easily take several days of exploration to fully appreciate. So now, we'll cover the main drag of the area: East Fairview Avenue, where the Gothic-style buildings of Huntingdon College and the large white antebellum mansions of the Montgomery Country Club make a beautiful backdrop for the shopping and entertainment district.

To fully enjoy a day of exploration on East Fairview Avenue, one must (MUST) start their day of adventure at Cafe Louisa for breakfast. The charming coffee shop offers dozens of selections coffee, hot tea, breakfast scones and muffins to die for. The shop's setting is perfect for mixing and mingling with the locals. Can't stand to leave your dog a home? No worries here, the staff has dog biscuits for Fido.

After fueling up, it's time to hit the area's wide array of stores. The Look Boutique is the place to go for women's fashion, and with the store's moderate pricing on the great clothes they have, expect to leave with more shopping bags than intended.

The area also offers many gift and antique shops, a shoe repair store, several art galleries, two parks, and the famous Capri movie theatre to keep you entertained throughout the day.

Other than Cafe Louisa, there are three other local restaurant legends that call East Fairview Avenue home.

Local pizza place Tomitino's serves up the greatest pizza pie in town, while across the street at El Rey, diners flock by the dozens to have fish tacos and queso. Across from El Rey is Sinclair's, which is also locally owned and never fails to impress customers.

Tucked in the corner, but certainly not forgotten- is local seafood joint Jubilee, which is the place to go for crab claws and an overwhelming sense of old time dining.

But the party doesn't stop there in Cloverdale, my friends. After the shops have closed down, the area springs back to life at the areas two bars- 1048 and Bud's.

Local joint 1048 is best known for its nightly gathering of musicians who perform as audience members dance or cozy up by the fireplace with a draft beer. If the fire gets too hot, head on over to Bud's bar to play some pool or eat one of their famous bar burgers.

Obviously, there is plenty of fun to be had in Old Cloverdale- and this only highlights one street. After all the fun you can have in one day, kind of makes you want to live there, doesn't it?